International conference calls for closer bilateral ties between Europe and Russia following the return of Vladimir Putin as President of the Russian Federation.

A panel of senior European and Russian politicians has said that the likely return of Vladimir Putin as President of the Russian Federation will ensure “positive stability”, at an international conference in Venice today. Despite recent protests in Moscow, and protests across the major cities of Russia expected in the lead up to the election, the panel said that Mr. Putin is still the most popular politician in Russia.

H.E. Hon. Franco Frattini, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, said: “There is still some mistrust in Europe of Russia. But we should be the best friend that Russia has… Russia and Europe are too small to work individually. We must work together to have a global impact…Despite some critics the EU will be ready to recognize (Vladimir) Putin as leader.

Stability in Russia is an added value… Under the leadership of Putin Russia has moved forward. Further economic and political reforms are needed, but substantial progress has been made, especially if we compare the situation in Russia to 15 years ago”.

“The upcoming elections will mark an important time in our shared history. It will be a great opportunity to strengthen co-operation between EU states and Russia… I am confident that Mr Putin, the future President of Russia, will give the green light to a new agreement of partnership and co-operation. We must consider Russia not just a strategic partner, but a loyal friend.”

Speaking after Franco Frattini, Jose Maria Aznar, former Prime Minister of Spain, commented: “Russia is key for the stability of Europe. Russia will emerge strengthened from the upcoming elections… I believe Mr. Putin still has a project for Russia.”

The panel argued that of all the Presidential candidates Mr. Putin would be the most likely to bring “increased bi-lateral relations between Europe and Russia”, calling on further co-operation in the areas of economic and trade relations, energy security, international political relations and international security.

H.R. Yitzah Herzog MP, former Minister of Social Welfare, Israel, said: “We all ask ourselves what Russia will be like after the election. The answer is clear – stability is essential for the continuation of reform. Russia should adjust its position on the current key issues related to the Middle East.”

The panel called for the pace of discussions on bilateral relations to quicken, concluding that given the Eurozone crisis and the relative economic and political stability in Russia the Russian Federation has become an increasingly important neighbor and partner to Europe.

Helen Teplitskaia, President of the American-Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated: “The increase in Europe-Russia trade shows that the two are coming closer together… However, the ghost of the Cold War still prevails for many in Europe. The more Russia is pushed away from the West, the closer it gets to China.”
“Russia’s WTO accession will be beneficial for Europe,” she added.

Organized by prominent Italian organization “Fondazione Alcide De Gaspari”, with the support of a Russian think tank “The Institute of International Integration Studies”, the conference, entitled ‘The Russian Presidential elections: European expectations’, was held at Isola di San Servolo, Venice.

Speakers at the conference included H.E. Hon. Franco Frattini, former Minister of Foreign Affairs; Jose Maria Aznar, former Prime Minister of Spain; Marino Zorzato, Member of the Italian Parliament; Alexander Babakov, Member of the Russian State Duma and deputy Co-Chairman of the Duma Inter-parliamentary.

Image Courtesy of  Alexey Kryuchkov / Shutterstock.com

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Brazil Supreme Court decision to reject extradition for the Italian ex terrorist Cesare Battisti could have heavy consequences on diplomatic relations between Italy and Brazil.

The sentence passed by the Brazilian Court just confirmed the decision of December 2010 of the former President Luiz Inàcio Lula da Silva, who announced on his last effective day as president his refusal to extradite Battisti.

Franco Frattini, Italy’s foreign minister, has defined the sentence of release shameful, and he said it was like “a slap in the face of the whole democratic world that fights terrorism”. The fist reaction of Italy was the recall of its ambassador in Brasilia Gherardo La Francesca, to discuss and study in depth the judicial bilateral agreements between the two countries, and to decide the steps to take to reverse the decision.

“What we have failed to achieve through the national judicial route we can achieve through the international judicial route,” declared the Foreign Minister announcing Italy’s intention to appeal to The Hague International Court of Justice. Also Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, and other Italian officials and politicians, condemned and criticized the Brazilian Supreme Court decision.

Brazilian former President Lula da Silva, cancelled his official visit to Italy this week, to avoid possible protests and disorders. During the Beach Volley World Championship, which is now taking place in Italy, a group of Italian protesters threw oranges at the Brazilian national team players, as a sign of disappointment for the decision on Battisti’s case.

Cesare Battisti, member of the Italian far-left militant group, Armed Proletarians for Communism (PAC) during the turbulent period of the so-called “anni di piombo” (years of lead), has been convicted of four murders committed in the ‘70s and sentenced to life imprisonment by the Italian Court. He escaped from Italy in 1981, after the first sentence for participation in armed group, first to France and later to Mexico, where he devoted himself to the writer activity. He returned to France in 1990 where he spent several years as a free man until 2004, when after the French government decided to arrest him and extradite him, he escaped to Brazil. There he was arrested in 2007, and in 2009 Brazilian government granted him the status of political refugee, until their final decision and subsequent release on 9^th of June.

During all the years he was in hiding, Battisti always denied having committed any of the murders he was charged with. His defending counsels challenge the decision of the Italian Court, asserting that there isn’t any proof of Battisti’s guilt, and that the sentence was based only on the declarations of Pietro Mutti, a militant of PAC who accused his fellow PAC member in order to obtain a penalty reduction for himself. Many intellectuals, writers, journalists, politicians and NGOs’ representatives in several countries supported and still support Cesare Battisti.

On the contrary, the relatives of the victims and some politicians in Italy now express outrage and push to reverse the decision of the Brazilian Court. Meanwhile in Rome the protests goes on; vice-minister of transports Roberto Castelli, refused to sign the air transports bilateral agreement with Brazil, as “a sign of protest towards a country which showed no respect for Italy,” he said.

The relations between the two countries seem to be deteriorating more and more as a result of the Battisti Case’s conclusion.

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